Retaining dog for cotton gin presses



July 30, 1940. w. STEINHAUER RETAINING DOG FOR COTTON GIN PRESSES FiledJune 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l ST'WW JUN/[am L. Sfe/nhczuer July 1940- w.L. STEINHAUIER 2,209,740

RETAINING DOG FOR COTTON GIN PRESSES Filed June 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 215 :gll 6 all 17 3" 3? Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES.

RETAINING DOG FOR COTTON GIN PRESSES William L. Steinhauer, Columbus, Gaassignor to Cen-Tennial CottonGin Company, Columbus, Ga., a corporationof Georgia Application June 1, 1938, Serial'No. 211,293

' 17 Claims. ot on-30) The invention relates generally to the art ofbaling cotton and primarily seeks to provide novel retaining dogstructures which are positively locked in the cotton retaining positionduring the 5 filling and tamping of the press box, and during thetransferring of the filled press box to position over the packing orbaling ram structure,- and released only upon upward movement of the ramduring the commencement of the actual cotton packing process.

In the baling of cotton, one form of apparatus commonly used employs apair of boxes mounted on a turntable, one at each side of a supportingcolumn about the axis of which the turntable is movable for alternatelypositioning the respective boxes beneath the cotton filling and tampingmechanism or over the cotton pressing ram structure. During the fillingand tamping of the cotton, and particularly during the movement of thebox from the filling and tamping position to position over the ramstructure, it is necessary to hold the cotton against movement upwardlyin thepre'ss box. This is accomplished by dogs which project inwardlythrough open-,

ings in the walls of the box and engage over the upper portion of thecotton fill. Dog structures heretofore employed have been held in placeyieldably by spring means and have frequently caused difficulty byreleasing under the expansive urge of the cotton mass, this beingparticularly true when very dry cotton is being baled. Attempts havebeen made to remedy this condition by provision of holding dogs whichwere held in position during filling and tamping of the cotton 5 andreleased only during transfer movement of the box from its fillingposition to the packing position over the ram. However, even theseallegedly improved structures have proven objectionable because inturning the press box to the packing or baling position, the box andturntable assembly being a very heavy structure, the boxes frequentlycarried past the point of intended registry with the ramming structureand with the filling and tamping mechanism, and

when this was done, the tripping devices employed in such structuresreleased the dogs and allowed the cotton to rise up over the top of thebox rendering difiicult the necessary repositioning of the boxes. I

Therefore, in its more detailed nature, the

1 present invention has for an object to provide a novel cotton massholding dog equipment in which the dogs are positively locked againstmovement upwardly with the cotton during the filling and tamping of'thecotton mass, and during the movement of the box from the filling"station to the baling or packing station, and in wh'ich is included lockreleasing trigger mechanism operable by movement of the ram at thecommencement of the packing process for re- 5 leasing the dogs.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel dog structurespositively locked in the cotton mass holding position by pivoted locklevers, and novel trigger releasing means engaged by the 10 press camfollower for moving the lock levers to the released position andincluding yieldable connections for permitting the resetting of the trigger devices without disturbing the locking levers.

Another object of the invention is to'provide 15 a novel master dog andWeight so cooperatively arranged that the dog is free to move upwardlyindependently of the weight and downwardly only upon overcomingtheresistance to downward movement imposed by the weight, said 20 weightserving also to determine the normal atrest position of j the dog's.

With the above and other objects in view which will more fully appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by followingthe g5 description, the appended claims, and the several viewsillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure '1 is a ,somewhat diagrammatic side elevation illustrating abaling press with the in- 36' vention embodied thereon.

Figure '2 is an end View of one of the boxes, the retaining dogs beingshown in the cotton mass retaining position in full lines and in themass releasing position in dot and dash lines. 5

Figure 3 isa horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 on Figure 2. 1Figure 4 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 4-4 onFigure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail vertical section illustrating a master dog andweight equipment, the normal position of the parts being shown in fulllines, the depressed position of the dog in dotted lines, and the raisedposition of the dog in dot and dash lines.

In the drawings I have illustrated one form of press in which theinvention can be embodied. In the illustrated press structure there isprovided the usual turntable 5 which is rotatable about the axis of thecolumn 6 supported in suitable framing l. The press boxes disposed atopposite sides of the column 6 are generally designated 8, and bymovement of the turntable 5 in the conventional manner, these boxes arepre- I sented alternately beneath the filling and tamping mechanismgenerally designated 9, or at the baling or packing station over thepress ram ID. The usual follower block is indicated at H.

The press boxes are constructed in the usual manner to include end wallsI2 and side walls |3 all hinged at their lower ends at M so that theycan be swung to the open position at the completion of the baling orpacking process to release the bale in the usual manner. During thefilling and tamping and the packing of the cotton, the box walls aresecured by any of the conventional forms of clamping means (not shown).

In the practical development of the present invention the dogs aresupported on the side walls l3 and project in "the usual manner, throughvertical slotways |5 in the side walls, into the interior of the boxes.tuated lock and release levers are supported on the outer end walls l2.Along the outer face of each side wall a rock shaft I6 is supported insuitable bearings each shaft being extended beyond the edge limit. ofthe side walls and equipped with a lock arm I8 depending vertically fromthe shaft as indicated at 9 so as to tend normally to hold the dogs inthe position illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawmgs. v i

Upper and lower reinforcing channel beams 20 are secured across each endwall I2, and on the upper channel of one or both of the end walls ismounted a supporting angle 2|. Above the angle 2| a mounting bar 22 issecured to each side wall, and each bar, 22 carries two pivot bolts 23on which are mounted a pair of lock and release levers 24. The outerends of the levers normally lie, as shown in Figure -2 of the drawings,in position for engaging the lock arms l8 so as to prevent inwardmovement of said arms and upward movement of ,the press dogs 26, se-

cured in equidistantly spaced relation along the rods I6. At their innerends the levers overlap as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings fora purpose that will soon become apparent. It

4 will be noted that the dogs are curved downwardly for engaging in andefficiently holding down the cotton mass pressed into the box by thetamping mechanism.

A release rod 21 is vertically reciprocable in bearings providedtherefor in the flanges of the channel 26 and includes a, bifurcatedportion at its upper end which straddles the. overlapped ends of thelevers 22 and carries an actuator pin 29 which engages in longitudinalslots 3|| formed in said overlapped lever ends.- Thus, whenever the rod21 is elevated, it will lift the overlapped ends of the levers andeffect a lowering of the outer ends thereof, releasing the arms I8 andpermitting upward movement of the dogs 26. The bifurcated portionincludes a heel S which overlies the angle 2| and serves as a stoppreventing movement of the actuator pin 29 downwardly from the doglocking position shown in full lines in Figure 2. I

At its lower end the rod 21 is telescopically received in a socketformed at the upper end of the trigger rod 3|, the bottom 32 of thesocket serving to limit the degree to which the rod 21 can be telescopedinto said socket. The relation of the rods 21 and 3| with the rodengaging the socket bottom 32is yieldably retained The trigger ac- "intothe interior of the press box to overlie and be engaged and actuated bycotton mass or the press ram follower block I As previously stated, dogmoving devices and trigger mechanisms may be mounted on both or one onlyof the press box end walls l2.

On each shaft I6 is secured a master dog 40 which is identical with theremaining dogs except that it includes an outward extension 4|,swingable in the arcuate clearance 42 in a master dog weight 43 freelyrotatably mounted on the respective shaft l6 as at 44 and including anabutment lug 45 for preventing swinging movement of the master dogdownwardly independent of theweight. Each member 40 includes a dependingweighted portion 46 which cooperates with the lug 45 and dog extension4| in holding the respective master dog 40 and associated dogs 26 in theposition shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings. The arcuateclearances 42 permit the dogs 40 to move upwardly independent of theweights 43, but each time the dogs are moved downwardly during fillingand tamping of the cotton, the extensions 4| engaging with the abutmentlugs 45 cause the weights 46 to swing away from the box sides, and whendownward pressure on the dogs is released the weights 46 will swing downand return themaccurately to the position shown in dotted lines inFigure 2 of the drawings.

In operation, the press turntable is positioned so that an empty boxwill be disposed beneath and in registry with the cotton filling andtamping mechanism and the other box will be positioned over and inregistry with the press ram structure. The cotton is fed into the emptybox and tamped therein, the press dogs 26 being free to move downwardlyto permit the cotton to pass, after which the counterweighted portions46 of the members 43 will serve to elevate or return the dogs to thenormal, cotton holding position shown in full lines in. Figure 2 of thedrawings. During this filling of the box with cotton, the outer ends ofthe lock levers 22 lie in the path of movement of the arms I8, 9 andlock the dogs 26 against upward movement, thus assuring againstinadvertent releasing of the dogs regardless of the amount or conditionof cotton forced into the box. This positively locked condition of thedogs pertains not only during the filling and tamping of the box, butalso during movement of the box from its position beneath the fillingand tamping mechanism to the position of registry at the baling orpacking station over the ram Ill and follower block I After a properlyfilled and transferred box is suitably positioned at the baling orpacking station, the ram l0 and follower block I I are moved upwardly,and at this time only, namely, at the commencement of the packingprocess, are the locking devices released so as to permit upwardmovement of the dogs 26. As the follower block moves upwardly it, or thecotton mass, will engage the trigger or triggers 38 and force the rodmembers 3i, .2! upwardly effecting a lifting of the inner overlappedendsof the lock levers 22 and a lowering of the outer ends of saidlevers. As the outer ends of the levers are moved downwardly beneath thelower ends of the lock arms 18 the rock shaft i6 is freed and the dogs26 can now move upwardly under the expansive urge of the cottonandpermit the cotton mass within the box'to be packed against the abutmenthead 39.

After the baling or packing process has been completed, the side and endwalls of the box are swung outwardly to release the bale in the usualmanner, and the dogs 26 will return to their normal positions.

As the ram Ill and follower block H move downwardly the follower blockwill engage the trigger or triggers 38, imparting downward movementthereto, said movement being permitted by the telescopic relation. ofthe rod members 21 and 3t and the provision of the connecting spring 33.

It is of course to be understood that the details of construction andarrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention. I

I claim:

1. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form' a press box,certain of said wall structures having slots therein, a ram followerblock movable into the box for packing a cotton mass therein, dogsprojecting through said slots into the box for normally holding a massof cotton against expansion in said box, means normally locking saiddogs in the holding position, and means positively actuated byengagement of the follower block for releasing said locking means.

2. In a baling press, a press box having wall slots therein, cottonfilling and tamping means, cotton packing means, means for presentingthe box alternately in registry with said filling and tamping means andsaid packing means, holding dogs projected through the wall slots intothe interior of the box for holding cotton filled and tamped therein,means for locking the dogs against movement under the expansive urge of'tamped therein, means for locking the dogs against movement under theexpansive urge of the cotton held thereby, and 'means positivelyactuated by engagement of the packing means toward the cotton in the boxfor releasing said locking means and including yieldable connections forpermitting retractile movement of said packing means. I

4. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box,certain of said wall structures having slots therein, a ram followerblock movable into the box for packing a cotton mass therein, dogsprojecting through said slots into the box for normally holding a massof cotton against expansion in said box, said dogs being movable in adirection for permitting cotton being filled and tamp-ed to pass them,movable lock lever means for normally locking the dogs in the holdingposition, and means positively actuated by engagement ofuthefollowerblock toward the cotton in the box for displacing said lever means andreleasing said dogs.

5. In a baling press, wall structures cooperat-. ing to form a pressbox, certain of said wall structures having slots therein, a ramfollower block movable into the box for packing a cotton mass therein,dogs projecting through said slots into the box for, normally holding amass of cotton'against expansion in said box, said dogs being movable ina direction for permitting cotton being filled and tamped-to pass them,movable lock lever means for normally locking the dogs in the holdingposition, and means actuated by movement of the follower block towardthe cotton in the box for displacing said lever means and re-. leasingsaid dogs, said last named means includ-, ing a pivoted trigger leverhaving an end projected into the path of movement of the follower block,and a rod connected to the trigger lever and to the lock lever means.

6. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box,certain of said wall structures having slots therein, a ram followerblock movable into the box for packing a cotton mass the-rein, dogsprojecting through said slots into the box for normally holding a massof cotton against expansion in said box, said dogs being movable in adirection for permitting cotton being filled and tamped to pass them,movable lock lever means for normally locking the dogs in the holdingposition, and means actuated by movement of the follower block towardthe cotton in the box for displacing said lever means and releasing saiddogs, said last named means including a pivoted trigger lever having anend projected into the path of movement of the fol- 7. In a balingpress, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain opposedwall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on theouter face of each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs securedon the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of thebox for overlying the cotton mass filled into the box to hold the cottonagainst upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge ofthe wall structures which carry them, look arms mounted on the extendedshaft ends, means normally engaging said arms for locking the dogsagainst upward movement while permitting downward movement thereof,cotton packing means movable upwardly into the box for packing thecotton mass therein, and means operable incident to commencement of thepacking operation for displacing said looking means.

8. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box,certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockablysupported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cottonholding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots intothe interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into thebox to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts beingextended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lockarms mounted on the extended shaft ends, pivoted lock lever meansinterposed between and normally engaging the lock arms for locking thedogs against upward movement while permitting outward movement of thearms and downward movementof said dogs, counterweight means normallyholding said arms against the lever means, a packing follower, and meansactuated by movement of said follower for displacing said lever means topermit the dogs to be moved upwardly.

9. In a baling press, wall structurescooperating to form a press box,certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockablysupported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cottonholding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots intothe interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into thebox to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts beingextended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lookarms mounted on the extended shaft ends, pivoted lock lever meansinterposed between and normally engaging the lock arms for locking thedogs against upward movement while permitting outward movement of thearms and downward movement of said dogs, counterweight means normallyholding said arms against the lever means, cotton packing means movableH upwardly into the box for packing the cotton mass therein, and meansoperable incident to commencement of the packing operation fordisplacing said lever means.

10. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box,certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockablysupported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cottonholding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots intothe interior of the box for overlying the cotton .mass

" filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, saidshafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carrythem, lock arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of locklevers pivotally supported intermediate their ends and having inner endsoverlapped and outer ends respectively engaging inside the lock arms fornormally locking the dogs against upward movement while permittingdownward movement thereof, a packing follower, and means operable bymovement of the follower for engaging the overlapped ends of the leversand displacing them for feeding the dogs for movement upwardly.

11. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box,certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockablysupported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cottonholding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots intothe interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into thebox to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts beingextended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lockarms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotallysupported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped andouter ends respectively engaging inside the lock arms for normallylocking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downwardmovement thereof, a packing follower, counterweight means normallyholding said arms against the outer ends of the lovers, and meansoperable by movement of the fol lower for engaging the overlapped endsof the levers and displacing them for freeing the dogs for movementupwardly.

12. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box,certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockablysupported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cottonholding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots intothe interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into thebox to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts beingextended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lookarms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotallysupported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped andouter endsrespectively engaging inside the lock arms for normallylocking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downwardmovement thereof, means engaging the overlapped ends of the levers fordisplacing them and freeing the dogs for movement upwardly, cottonpacking means movable upwardly into the box for packing the cotton masstherein, and means operable by movement of said packing means foractuating said lever displacing means.

13. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box,certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockablysupported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cottonholding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots intothe interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into thebox to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts beingextended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lookarms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotallysupported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped andouter ends respectively engaging inside the lock arms for normallylocking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downwardmovement thereof, a rod structure engaging the overlapped ends of thelevers and operable for displacing the levers and freeing the dogs formovement upwardly, a cotton packing ram and follower block movableupwardly into the box for packing the cotton mass therein, and triggermeans connected with said rod structure and engageable by said block foractuating said rod structure.

14. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box,certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockablysupported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cottonholding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots intothe interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into thebox to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts beingextended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lookarms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotallysupported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped andouter ends respectively engaging inside the lock arms for normallylocking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downwardmovement thereof, a rod structure engaging the overlapped ends of thelevers and operable for displacing the levers and freeing the dogs formovement upwardly, a cotton packing ram and follower block movableupwardly into the box for packing the cotton mass therein, trigger meansconnected with said rod structure and engageable by said block foractuating said rod structure, means limiting movement of displacement ofthe outer ends of the lock levers to movement in a single direction, andyieldable means permitting reverse trigger means move ment uponretraction of the block without effecting lock lever movement.

15. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box,certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockablysupported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cottonholding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots intothe interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into thebox to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts beingextended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lockarms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotallysupported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped andouter ends respectively engaging inside the lock arms for normallylocking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downwardmovement thereof, a rod structure engaging the overlapped ends of thelevers and operable for displacing the levers and freeing the dogs formovement upwardly, a cotton packing ram and follower block movableupwardly into the box for packing the cotton mass therein, trigger meansconnected with said rod structure and operable in one direction by afollower block contact for causing lock lever displacing movement ofsaid rod, means limiting movement of displacement of the outer ends ofthe lock levers to movement in a single direction, and yieldable meanspermitting trigger means movement in the reverse direction uponretraction of the block without effecting lock lever movement, said lastnamed means comprising an extensible section in said rod structure andspring means normally holding said extensible section non-extended.

16. In a baling press, a side wall having a slot therein, a shaftrockably supported on the wall,

a dog carried by the shaft and extending through the slot to engage acotton mass and having an outwardly extended portion, a counterweightrockable on the shaft and having a weighted stop portion normallyengaging said wall to determine the position of the dog, saidcounterweight hav-,

ing an arcuate clearance therein to permit movement of the outwardlyextended portion in one direction and terminating in an abutment lug toprevent movement of the extended portion in the opposite direction andcooperating with the stop portion in normally positioning the dog.

1'7. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box,certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockablysupported on the outer face of'each slotted wall structure, cottonholding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots intothe interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into thebox to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts beingextended beyond an edge of the wall structures whichcarry them, lookarms mounted on the extended shaft ends, pivoted lock lever meansinterposed be-' tween and normally engaging the lock arms for lockingthe dogs against upward movement while permitting outward movement ofthe arms and downward movement of said dogs, one said dog including anoutward extension, means for displacing said lever means to permit thedogs to be moved upwardly, and a counterweight associated with said dogextension and having an arcuate clearance for permitting movement of thedog extension in one direction and an abut-' ment lug for preventingmovement of the dog extension in the opposite direction, said abutmentlug cooperating with the counterweight in holding said arms in doglocking relation with said lever means.

WILLIAM L. STEINHAUER.

